Ontario Wind Industry Desperately Needs a Code of Ethics

New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that 16 companies representing the vast majority of wind energy activity in New York state have signed a Wind Industry Ethics Code, facilitating the development of renewable energy while helping assure that the industry is acting properly and within the law.

The code calls for oversight through an advisory task force and transparency that will deter improper relationships between wind development companies and local government officials, according to Cuomo.

Fifteen companies have now joined the two that signed late last year to make a total of 17 wind industry leaders agreeing to the code of ethics. According to the Alliance for Clean Energy, these companies, along with their subsidiaries, are responsible for more than 90% of the wind farm development (past, present or future projects) in New York state.

The code was signed previously by Newton, Mass.-based First Wind (formerly known as UPC Wind) and Essex, Conn.-based-based Noble Environmental Power LLC. Both companies currently operate several wind farms in New York and have others in development.

The Wind Industry Ethics Code is a direct result of an ongoing investigation into, among other things, whether companies developing wind farms improperly sought land-use agreements with citizens and public officials, and whether improper benefits were given to public officials to influence their official actions relating to wind farm development.

The Wind Industry Ethics Code prohibits conflicts of interest between municipal officials and wind companies and establishes public disclosure requirements.

In addition, provisions of the code include the following:

– bans wind companies from hiring municipal employees or their relatives, giving gifts of more than $10 during a one-year period or providing any other form of compensation that is contingent on any action before a municipal agency;

– prevents wind companies from soliciting, using or knowingly receiving confidential information acquired by a municipal officer in the course of his or her official duties; and

– requires wind companies to establish and maintain a public Web site to disclose the names of all municipal officers or their relatives who have a financial stake in wind farm development.

Wolfe Islanders might have benefitted from some oversight when it came to the ethics of their municipal government. According to John Keating, CHDI searches for “champions” in a community with a resource the company wants to exploit. Frontenac Islands provided two councillors with landlease options and an enthusiastic mayor (with family on CHDI’s payroll), on a council of only five.

To top it off, landowners with leases were provided the turbine sites and project layouts months in advance of the openhouses. They were then instructed to remain silent until the “official” release. That meant that adjacent neighbours and in many cases family members were kept in the dark while money was exchanged for political support.

Didn’t stop MPP John Gerretsen from enthusiastically facilitating the deal. Afterall, his own campaign fundraising received a healthy boost of CHDI money care of Rob Miller, a company exec. This was one of the stated explanations for removing him from decision-making at the last hour by his party leader, Dalton McGuinty.

Our elected leaders have become shills for this industry. After the $19 million e-Health scandal, the Liberal party’s cozy financial relationships with wind industry should be the next scandal for investigation.

Wind concerns needs to start our own party.I’m sure we could run an independant candidate in every rural riding that’s fighting against the Green Energy rip off

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